Generating positive publicity is one of the most cost-effective ways to communicate a good message about your center and its services. Publicity is defined as information with news value issued through the media as a means of gaining public attention, understanding, and support from a select audience of readers or viewers. The third party endorsement it gives you is a powerful opinion influencer.
One way to generate publicity is to approach the media about an event or activity that is unique, timely, and of interest to the audience of that publication or station. You can interest reporters by submitting a press release for those happenings in your center which are truly newsworthy. An example might be an author coming to visit and sign books, a hop-a-thon benefiting a local charity, a float your schoolagers built for the Fourth of July parade.
Writing a Press Release
Use a press or news release format. Double space type on white 8 1/2 x 11” paper. Include a brief cover letter on you letterhead. Begin you cover letter with a “hook” statement or question that will grab the media representative’s attention and increase your chances of achieving the publicity you desire.
The order of the content of your press release should be what, when, where, then
who and last is why, quotes, and whom to contact for further information.
The reason for this order is that if the media needs to reduce the length your article, they will usually cut from the bottom up.
Press Release Format
For: (Name of Company)
(Address)
Contact: (Name)
(Title)
(Phone #s)
TO: (Name of Medium, if Appropriate)
RELEASE: (Date or other instructions, such as “RELEASE UPON RECEIPT,”
“RELEASE AT WILL,” “FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE,” etc.)
(HEADLINE)
(Dateline, if appropriate) – Begin typing release. Use double spacing. Use 5-space indent for paragraphs. Use UPI style. Use only those hyphens required. Include who, what, when, were, why, and how in an announcement type of story.
(more) – (Use, centered on page , if more than one page.)
# # # – (Use, centered on page, at end of release.)
Julie Wassom
“The Speaker Whose Message Means Business”
Marketing and Sales Speaker/Consultant/Author
Call me: 303-693-2306
Fax me: 303-617-6422
E-me: julie@juliewassom.com
See me: www.juliewassom.com
